Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1887-06-02
DECORATION DAY.
How the Day Was Observed by
the Patriotic Citizens OF the
Metropolis of the
James.

Col. Bentley Delivers an Eloquent
Oration-The F. Stewards
and Actives Play Good
Ball.
Decoration day observances in James
town were under the auspices Of the VIM.
H. Seward post No. 65 G. A. K. and IN ac-
cordance with the rules of the order both
Sunday and Monday were observed.
Sunday morning the veterans met at their
hall and attended in a body the union
memorial services at the rink. Rev. N.
d. Tanning delivered the DISCOURSE,
which was an able and scholarly produc-
ton, appropriate to the occasion in COM
memoration of which the congregation
had assembled.
In Commander Wade's general order
Comrades Mckenzie, Walton, and Mich
OILS were detailed as a committee to dec
crate, together with similar committee
from the Woman's Relief Corps, the
graves of any old soldiers in the vicinity
of Jamestown. This was accordingly
dc yesterday forenoon. The veterans
who are inferred in this vicinity number
only four, it is believed, and the duty OF
the committees was soon performed.
YESTERDAYS oBsERvANoEs.
The nrincinal ceremony of decoration
however occurred yesterday afternoon.
The members of the W. r. c., S. V. and
J. L. G. had consented to participate in
the exercise and accordingly about two
o'clock these organizations, together with
the members of the post and about thirty
small school children we're formed in line
| under the direction of Marshall Miller
| and shortly after the procession headed
by Commander Wade and Colonel Ben
ley, the orator of the day, moved toward
the court house where the exercises were
held.
Commander Wade called the assembly
! to order with few Introductory remarks,
/ after which Rev. B. S. Taylor eloquently
4 invoked the divine blessing. A song was
then sung with charming effect by a
chorus of about thirty school children
J who had been drilled by Mrs. Merry
\ Exercises from the service book and a
we'll rendered song by the children Of
Comrade Ward, completed the prelimi-
nary exercises.
! THE ORATOR OF THE DAY.
Commander Wade thea introduced
with Few appropriate remarks, the
orator OF the day, Col. Bentley of Bis.
marck whe said:
COMRADES OF THE GRAND ARMY, LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN:
This is day peculiarly our own-a
day set apart to pay our tributes OF honor
and respect to our departed comrades,
to decorate their graves with beautiful
flowers, to commemorate their seldierly
qualities. This memorial service may be
the last in which we may take part. The
order is constantly coming to close up
the ranks and the veterans are fast thin
ing out This day will be observed in
every little hamlet in the country where
people will assemble with sentiments
of homer and respect for the heroes who
met their fate in the greatest frater-
cidal struggle of modern times. We are
|
that hat VII When T the blossoms Of May enrich
the landscape with their fragrance and
beauty we should cover their graves with
garlands Heaven bless the memory of
those dear boys! Many of them left lov-
ing homes and attractive surroundings.
Many of them little thought of the great
ness of the conflict but they met the is
| sue and developed into brave and efficient
soldiers and could pick chickens and
skin hogs with the best of them. They
were brave men, these-and went down
into the valley of the shadow of death as
to festival.
The world has ever been one great bat
tie field where the opposing forces of
good and evil have contented for the
supremacy and each victory has been
liberty's gain. Glance along down the
ages; it has ever been thus. So also in
America, the rights of man caused the
last great struggle and by the victory
this grand country has approached nearer
to that sublime principle upon which it
was founded. have said little of our
battle fields for they are known to the
world. Ny mind has led me in differ
ent direction. You, comrades, have been
the instrumentahty of making this the
great nation it is today. Your fame has
almost filed the measure of the American
continent with the story of your deeds.
In the onward march of this nation a
cloud appeared and threatened its over
throw. There was coterie of those who
wished to save both the cloud and nation.
For two years the army battled with this
purpose but Lincoln could not always be
fooled. In his eternal proclamation he
proclaimed the doctrine of human rights.
Slavery had thrown down the gauntlet of
war and the contest then became aquestion
of it's determination. Let us pity the
victims of error who fell then. Garry
forward this great work. Teach your
children the principles you preserved.
Your name is forever planted on the
mountain tops of our country's history
and may we and our children ever mani
fest an interest in memorial day. To you
are due the efforts of our government to
crystalize in its policy the divine pre-
cepts of the golden rule.
Colonel Bentley's Grafton of which the
above is merely an abstract. was fowery